NBA Live 09 Signature Play Calling

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Why you'll want to run plays next year.

By Bill Barnwell

One of the ways that EA is leveraging their Dynamic DNA technology into NBA Live 09 this year is through the new Signature Play Calling feature. It's exactly what it sounds like -- each team calls plays that match up with the plays and offensive sets they run most frequently in real-life. The Lakers run the triangle and create shots for Kobe, while the Knicks wobble down the court, have Zach Randolph and Eddy Curry run into each other, and one fumbles the ball out of bounds while the other complains to the ref. Oh -- our bad. That's last year. Mike D'Antoni can't come soon enough.

We checked out NBA Live 09's newest feature with producer Jeff Antwi, who not only talked about the feature in this video clip, but also took a few questions from us on how the mode works, how it's integrated with Dynamic DNA, and why everyone from rookies to experts will want to use it.

IGN: What exactly is signature play calling?

Jeff Antwi: Signature play calling is about creating authentic team plays that highlight the star players on each team. All 32 teams have their own playbook, meaning each NBA team will have their own unique style of play.

IGN: How do you execute a play in-game?

Jeff Antwi: Calling and executing a play is much easier this year. Simply press and hold LB on the 360 (or the L1 button on the PS3) to bring up a menu of your play options. Select the play of your choice and follow the play visualization to get a shot for your favorite player. You can also let Dynamic DNA call the best play for your team by pressing the Triangle button on PS3 (or the 'Y' button on the 360).

Jeff Antwi: Yes; Dynamic DNA is used in a number of ways with this feature. Not only does it drive the types of plays the AI will call, but it's also used to determine which players will have plays called for them, and how frequently a play will be called for that player. The really cool part of this is that plays will change based upon the five players on the court.

IGN: Graphics pop up on the screen when I call a play. What do each of the images represent?

Jeff Antwi: Once a play is called, the first step is getting the ball carrier into position to start the play. You'll see a destination marker or target on the floor that tells you where to go. You need to get the ball carrier to that position on the court to start the play. We also wanted to tell people who they should be passing the ball to and when; so, when a play is called, you'll also often see a number of grey icons that represent your pass options. Each option is essentially a variation of the same play. Those grey icons will turn into colored icons when it's time to pass the ball. Once you've passed the ball and selected an option, all you need to do is follow the pass icons to the end of the play to be successful.

Q: Let's say I'm really good at NBA Live 09. Why would I want to use signature play calling when I can just dribble the ball down the court and throw up a shot from wherever I want with Kobe?

Jeff Antwi: Well, NBA sets are structured to position players on the floor where they can be the most effective, and our plays reflect that concept. For example, I can run the Lakers triangle offense to get Kobe Bryant in an isolation area, where he's hard to stop.

Check back on IGN tomorrow for an exclusive look at another new feature in NBA Live 09.